Flopflip
by Minstrel of Ages
Summary: [Super Paper Mario] AU. The world holds no meaning or joy without her. With the power of the Chaos Heart, everything will end for the better. The story of Flipflop told from Blumiere's POV.


**(Author's Notes: Blaaaaah. It's done. The first chapter of Flopflip. It took forever, it seemed. Although it hasn't been that long since I ended Flipflop, it seems like a long time. I've been having to do a ton of school projects, and I just did my last performance for my spring play a few hours ago. So, here you are! I really hope you enjoy this, 'cause I worked hard on it. And, although this first chapter may not be so…related to what the actual storyline is…just read it anyway. **

**  
I do not own Super Paper Mario. )**

**F L O P . / . F L I P**

"_I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost_

_If I'm asking for help it's only because_

_Being with you has opened my eyes_

_Could I ever believe such a perfect surprise?_

_I keep asking myself, wondering how_

_I keep closing my eyes but I can't block you out_

_Wanna fly to a place where it's just you and me_

_Nobody else so we can be free…"_

-T.A.T.U., "All the Things She Said"

**Prologue: The Origin of Despair! Timpani and Blumiere's Tragic Story**

_I can remember many things about my past._

_The old days when I was bottled up in the castle I called home. I can recall the darkness of the throne room, the deep shades of crimson and violet that mixed through the curtains and rugs. I can remember vividly the sights of the guards who bowed as I neared them, trying to stand up straight and hold all comments back in order to gain my respect. I remember the court jester's monochrome mask of comedy, with his yellow eyes squinting through the holes near the top. But most of all, the clear memory of my parents is the strongest. My mother was always so regal, yet distant from my father. She always seemed so unhappy, wandering the hallways of the castle and staring off past the curtains and into the sunlight of the world I was forbidden to go to. My parents called it the world of humans, yet they claimed I was too naïve to see why it was so dangerous. _

_Did I envy the humans? Not as much as my father did. He would always speak ill of them, glaring up into the darkness of the ceiling every time my mother mentioned them. She tried to avoid the subject once she accidentally brought it up, but once it was spoken of, something was going to crash into the wall and break. I did not see what was so bad about them, and when I told my father that, he glared straight into my eyes and told me every inch of hatred he held for our parallel tribe. _

_Because I was young, I was trusting. I listened to my father with fear, groveling to my knees and agreeing to his every word. If it were not for my mother, I probably would have never done the things I did. She stepped in before my father, scolding him for scaring me. That fight was even more frightening. They would not stop arguing for days and days, and my people looked to me with pity. I could hear the whispers of the people who my parents watched over, each one shaking their head and frowning deeply. I wished they would stop, but my wishes were in vain. _

_My mother was not happy with my father's intolerance. She spoke that loud and clear with the way she acted and the way she spoke to the both of us. Did she still love my father? That was one concern that I had. However, it all seemed so utterly hopeless._

_As a young prince of the Tribe of Darkness, I had many things to worry over. I was soon to turn fifteen, which meant that I was only three years away from taking the throne from my father and mother. As such, many of the attendants were concerned with me finding someone for an arranged marriage. The only rumors I wanted to hear were if my father and mother were not in an arranged marriage, so that I did not have to look up to such an empty relationship. Often times, people remind me that the sooner they allow me to find a woman, the better. It's just too stressful, or that's what I thought at the time. I had no true intention of becoming the king, and I despised my role as the prince. I wanted to run. I wanted to run far away from my home and abandon everything that was given to me. _

_So, I did. _

_For days, I walked far from the land where the Tribe of Darkness thrived. As I found my way down the path, the inky black pavement soon transformed into a slate gray shade. Where was I going? I failed to answer that question before I even left. Now, I was too far from the eyes of my parents and people. I was alone, going to an unknown place. Sooner or later, I realized where I was. The people of the towns I entered were completely different. Their skin did not have the same indigo color, nor the eye trait of light crimson irises. _

_I was in the land of humans. The land my father warned me about for many times to come. I could feel their glares and stares upon me as I entered. Their whispers were harmful to me, and I truly felt my father's words come back to haunt my memory. Should I turn back? It was a powerful urge. I could even feel my foot slide ahead of me. My body wanted to return home. My conscious did not want to be torn a part by the opinions of the humans that my father warned me about. Before I knew it, I was outside the gate I had come in from. I was back on the path that would lead me back to the home that I was despised by. Did my father know I was missing? If so, would he punish me for running away? _

"_**Watch where you're going!**__" _

_A sudden voice brought me to a halt. In my wandering, I was now standing before a rocky end of the road. A narrow cliff stood between me and the abyss below. My eyes were wide with shock as I turned my head to see the one who warned me. A young girl with a gravely worried look stared at me, as I was one foot away from plunging deep into the chasm. Her hair was the brightest shade of gold I had ever seen. With the light of the sun, it seemed to even be brighter than the gold of the richest king. The stands of her hair were tied back into a braid that twirled down to the middle of her back, while her bangs were brushed out of the way by her own hand. The wind seemed to want it back on her forehead, however. Her body was slender, and dressed in clothing that my family would have dubbed 'lower than the poverty line'. Although I didn't think that. A simple skirt and blouse of a green color was the attire, which seemed to match her deep, blue eyes. However, the pale skin triggered my mind to make assumptions right away. _

"_**I don't need a human to tell me what to do!**__" I found myself taking the path of prejudice. Yet, that was not the smartest thing to do. When you are young, you tend to act before you think. At that, I felt myself lose balance. I lost my grip, and the rocks beneath my feet began to fall. The ledge broke off, and I fell. The only sound I heard was the sound of my own yell for help, and the worried scream of the unknown maiden. _

**// . c h a o s . //**

_The rough patch of rocks that I fell on was unpleasant, and I certainly cursed myself for leaving home once I fell off the ledge. However, although I had lost consciousness, I swore I felt many strange things in the darkness. _

_First, there was the pain that shot through my injured body as it finally hit the ground. The air that blew by me warned me that it was a long drop, yet not long enough to be fatal. I could hear my own groans and cries of pain, yet they were heard. The next thing I felt was a surprise. I felt the rocks underneath my body fade away, and it seemed like I was floating above the ground. I could hear voices too. Voices of a worried person, who seemed to be panicking. I did not know this person, yet…they seemed to be very concerned. Who were they concerned for? It couldn't have been me, could it? _

_Time passed, and I felt nothing. Slowly, I was able to collect myself and return to a conscious state. My eyes opened briefly, and my fingers wiggled around the area I was in. A plush mattress was underneath me, covered in a red sheet. It was soft and unfamiliar, and even a little warm. Perhaps that was true because I had been lying there for a long time. The crimson light that drifted through the windows indicated that it was sunset, while the silence in the room I was in showed that I was all alone. _

_However, the small footsteps of another allowed me to sit up. The pain hadn't left me though, for it made me cringe. The person in the doorway was the same maiden I had seen before at the cliff, only this time her hair was no longer in the braid it was before. In her hands, she held a washcloth and a bowl of some liquid that I dared not to identify. Perhaps it was water, perhaps it wasn't. As she neared me, I tried to back away. It was no use; the pain in my body wouldn't allow me to squirm out of this. _

"_**You're awake at last?**__" she sounded deeply concerned, which surprised me. Why would a human feel concern for __**me**__? I gave her a sharp glare, which made her back off. _

"_**You're a human, correct?**__" I asked her. She nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off of me. I wanted to know. I wanted to know why she took the time to place me in bed and even have a greater amount of compassion to even try to tend my wounds. "__**I don't…repulse you? I am of the Tribe of Darkness.**__" I explained to her, trying not to completely scare her. However, at those words, it was her turn to glare. Now that glare, I hate to admit, scared me a little bit. However, it was not out of anger as I so presumed. _

"_**Why would that matter? Anyone with a heart would not ignore an injured soul!**__" she exclaimed, standing tall and serious. I was completely in shock. My father had told me that all humans would despise us for being different. He told me that intolerance of humans was the only key to keep them away, and that they would never hold out a hand to aid those of the Tribe of Darkness when they needed help. _

_Yet, this girl was different. This strange girl that he had only met me just now was tending my wounds without even judging me or the fact that I was from a different race entirely. Her glare softened as she walked closer to me, placing the cloth softly on my wound. I cringed, for it did sting. However, I was still deep in thought of what she said. Maybe…maybe humans weren't that bad after all. Perhaps intolerance was only an escape from the truth that I never could have learned. _

"_**Th-thank you…**__" I muttered. I felt so stupid for saying the things I did before. This girl had done nothing but help me, and I only insulted her for being who she was. I expected her to brush it off, yet she gave me the kindest smile instead. _

"_**It's perfectly fine. What's your name?**__" she asked casually, finally washing away the blood on the wound located on my arm. I hesitated. She could tell that I couldn't trust her, and her smile faded. She let the subject go. _

"_**I shouldn't have asked…**__" she muttered, embarrassed that she brought that subject on. My eyes widened as I realized what I did. It was only fair that I could at least give her my name! I mean, she did help me. _

"_**B-Blumiere.**__" I spoke slowly. She looked back up at me, her facial expression telling me to repeat my word. "__**My name is Blumiere.**__" She smiled at the sound of my name. Her gentle smile softened the shield that I had previously used for defense. I bit my lip. I suddenly couldn't think straight. _

"_**I'm Timpani.**__" She introduced, bowing her head in a polite manner. She had finally finished cleaning the wounds on my other arm, soon moving to my leg. There was silence in the room for the longest time, but that was my fault. I could not speak again, for I found myself lost in thought and confusion. Not only was I shocked at this girl's compassion, yet there was something else that seemed to stop me from speaking to her. She seemed to be so focused on returning me to a healthy state, and I had to be grateful for it. _

_After what seemed to be the longest time, she had completely finished. She stood up, the empty bowl in her hands. _

"_**You should stay here for a couple of days to get your stamina back.**__" She instructed. "__**This room's a guest room, so get some rest, all right?**__" she asked, walking toward the doorway. I felt myself nod, which was a surprise to me. Suddenly, I felt like I could trust her. I watched her leave, carrying the bloody washcloth within the bowl. I thought back to my father's words of humans, and how disgusting they seemed to be. Yet, those assumptions, those feelings of hatred, they melted away as I looked at the wounds that were previously covered in blood and dirt. They were clean, thanks to a human maiden who took my hand when I asked for help. Well, I didn't really ask for help, _

_Humans truly weren't the people that I should have been against all of these years. And Timpani taught me that. I wished that this wasn't the last time that I would see her, and for what seemed to be the first time, that wish was not in vain. _

_As days passed quickly, I began to realize that my father's words were bittersweet with the truth. I learned about the village and the humans who were there. Unlike her, however, they were quick to judge me. Without her, it would have been impossible to start a life in a place like this for a person like me. _

_Yet, I could not stay. It was Timpani who told me that, sadly. She explained to me that I should return home so that my parents wouldn't worry. It seemed strange that I learned so much about humans…yet so little about the one who saved me. As she frowned at me with sad eyes, I suddenly felt guilty for not getting to know her. I wondered if she thought the same. And, of course, I felt horrified of the thought of going back to where I ran away from. _

"_**I'm sorry I cannot let you stay longer, but my family is…**__" Timpani began, her hands entwined together. _

"_**No, please, it's all right.**__" I told her, trying not to make her feel as guilty as I felt. "__**I know I am not wanted here**__" those words made her jump. _

"_**No! It's not you! At least…not for me. I want you to stay, but my family is frightened…frightened that you might do something. I trust you to do nothing, because I know you aren't a bad person.**__" Timpani spoke truly, letting her hands fall to her sides. I could not be more surprised at this one human. This one, benevolent maiden. _

"_**Timpani…**__" I muttered her name, suddenly thinking of something. This didn't have to be goodbye. "__**Do you want to come to where I live?**__" I asked her. Her eyes widened with such shock. I wondered if that wasn't the right thing to ask. _

"_**Blumiere, can I really? Would your parents be mad if I did?**__" Timpani asked, knowing how her family was upset that she took in a member of the Tribe of Darkness. She actually sounded happy, which was the biggest surprise yet. I smiled. At the time, I did not care what my parents thought. I had a friend. A friend who looked at me for who I was instead of what I appeared to be. _

"_**They don't have to worry about it. Follow the path out of your village and toward our land. There is a garden nearby the castle that we can meet in three nights.**__" I told her. I assumed she liked flowers. From the time I had been here, I had always seen her planting and gardening. She was always watering flowers or patting down soil. That had been the right choice, I found out right away. _

"_**Yes, I will meet you there.**__" Timpani said, a bright smile illuminating on her lips. At that, I waved goodbye and gathered the many few possessions I had brought with me. I headed out of the village gate; looking back to the house she had kept me in. I saw her in the window, waving goodbye. I waved back, but I found myself looking back at the hand I used to wave. _

_What was I doing? I had just planned to meet a __**human**__! If my father had found out, he would be furious! Plus, I dreaded to think how he would react once I got back. I slowly made my way out of the village and down the path to return home. They say the way back is a lot quicker than the way there. _

_I learned that was true. _

**// . c h a o s . //**

_The days seemed long after I had returned back home. My father did not scold me; yet he warned me never do leave without his permission again. His words were sharp, and I knew I would have some trouble trying to get out to see Timpani after that. I laid down on the pillow of my bed, deep in thought of what had happened a few days before. _

_Timpani, the girl who saved me. My first thought was that she was a wonderful and benevolent human being, yet there was something else about her that made me think. For some reason, she triggered the memory of when my father introduced me to several ladies that he had considered for arranged marriage. _

_None of them interested me. _

_They all seemed like dolls, each one standing there because they wanted rule of the kingdom or they just had to be there. I could not see one bit of devotion in their eyes or posture. I knew right away that they were there on their own desire. But why did __**she **__trigger that memory? Why was it that whenever I thought of Timpani, I thought of that day? _

_I never realized that I would find out quickly. _

_The night had finally come. The night that I promised to see Timpani in the gardens. However, my luck was horrible that day. As I tried to escape the palace using the empty hallways, I found that they all were not empty. The court jester was making his way down one of the halls, doing cartwheels and the like. His eyes widened as he saw me, a grin spreading across his face. Although, his face was hard to see due to the monochrome mask. _

"_**Lord Blumiere! What brings you down this way?**__" he asked in a merry tone, nearing me quickly. I had to lie. This man would report me to my father if I didn't. If I was reported, I would never be able to see Timpani. Ever. _

"_**Um…**__" I struggled for words. What was down this hallway? I wondered what rooms were down the path, so perhaps I could make something up. Yet, this jester was cleverer than I had ever assumed. _

"_**You aren't trying to **_**escape, **_**now are you, my lord?**__" the jester questioned, chuckling after. I cursed in my mind. He knew my motives. _

"_**You wouldn't tell my father, would you?**__" I asked, knowing that there was no point in lying now. I wondered if he would keep it under his colorful pink and purple hat, or perhaps he would tell my father right away. The jester grinned. _

"_**Oh, but that would depend on why you had to leave.**__" he stated. "__**Yet, your father strictly told you to never leave the castle without his permission again…**__" he mimicked my father, making me shutter. His sharp, yellow eyes shot into my soul, making me bite my lip. He scanned my mind, or it seemed like that. _

"_**I…I…It's important! I just have to get out of here now!**__" I couldn't weasel my way out of this. It was impossible with this trickster. _

"_**Just tell me why you are leaving.**__" The jester said simply, his grin smoothing into a smirk. He wanted to get all of the information out of me, and then make sure I got in trouble for it. _

"_**Blumiere? What are you doing here?**__" _

_Crap._

_My father had made his way toward the two of us, giving me the nastiest glare. It wasn't nearly as sharp as the jester's look of victory, but it still made me shake in my place. Do I fear my father? Yes and no. He was a strict man, one who makes his statements straight and to the point. He is very cruel, especially toward me. And as I've told, he wasn't exactly acting the best toward my mother. Not now, and not as long as I can remember. _

"_**Oh, my king.**__" The jester said, turning right to my father with the same smirk he wore when he spoke to me. "__**So glad you could come, I just caught Lord Blumiere heading out to somewhere important, or so he tells me.**__" The jester said, eyeing my out of the corner of his own mask. I groaned silently. _

"_**Really now? Blumiere, explain yourself. Didn't I tell you already…**__"_

"_**Father, I…**__" I knew I was done for the minute I interrupted him. _

"_**Do NOT interrupt me, Blumiere! Go back to your chambers this INSTANT!**__" he yelled. I hesitated. His glare increased. This was a nightmare. Yes, that was what truly made him blow up. _

"_**Did you hear me? I said **_**go**_" He repeated, advancing on me as if he was ready to beat me over this. I turned around, now facing the court jester. I wanted to escape his twisted grin and horribly puzzling attire. I slowly went back to my room, slamming the door. Why was he so mad? Usually my father would have a better patience. I groaned loudly, banging my fist against the black wall. Suddenly, my eyes darted to the window. It was a way out. A way I could get to Timpani. I advanced to the window, lifting the glass to open it. The wind blew at my face, my blue hair whipping around my forehead. The drop wasn't so bad, and there was soft dirt below. _

_After falling off a cliff, anything seemed to be soft. _

_I leapt out the window, trying to land without so much damage. The fall wasn't so deep, but the impact was. I tried to ignore the pain as I landed on my feet, almost crushing myself to keep my balance. I looked up into the sky, realizing how late I was to meet Timpani. I rushed away from the castle, and away from the father who banned me from the one thing that I needed to see. _

_Wait…needed?_

_My own thoughts perplexed me as I slowed down. This human girl, this strange human girl had done far too much to my mind. Perhaps that was why my father was angry? No, he didn't even know. Or, he didn't know __**yet**__. I hope he does not figure it out soon, though. I can't imagine of what could happen to me…or even her. As I slowed down, I realized that I had already arrived to the garden I promised to meet her at. It was a small garden at the dividing point between the two kingdoms, or this was what I assumed due to the mixture of my world and hers. _

_And there she was. Timpani sat by a large tree, examining a small bud that grew on a low branch. A gentle smile extended across her lips as she poked it carefully, hoping she didn't damage it from examining its beauty. I found myself starring without speaking for the longest time. Maybe it would just be better, I thought, if I just stood here and said nothing. It was just a beautiful sight to behold. I stopped my thoughts as I saw her turn to me. Concern was written all over her face, but it did light up with a strong element of happiness. However, I found that concern was a little more important to her. _

"_**You're late. Did something happen?**__" she asked. She sounded like my mother, yet not nearly as nagging. This question was filled with worry. I couldn't lie to her. Or, I found that I couldn't. _

"_**Yes, my father caught me. Sneaking out of the castle wasn't so easy after that.**__" I admitted. Her eyes widened and she looked away, holding her hands together with sadness. Yet, she seemed to recover quickly from her own thoughts and looked at me with a newborn smile. This one was weak, I noticed. Like, a bittersweet smile. A smile that made me both worry and happy. _

"_**I was worried you wouldn't come.**__" She told me. I wondered if I heard that right. She actually WORRIED if I would come or not? From the way she looked before when she was starring at the tree, it almost seemed like she would have enjoyed herself if I hadn't been there. This brought on a new level of confusion. _

"_**You are a strange girl…**__" I began. Well, it was true. I still didn't comprehend what she told me before, so at the time, I still wanted to know why she didn't treat me like dirt the way the other humans did. "__**You know what I am and yet you do not seem afraid.**__" My words didn't hurt her the way they did last time. While she glared at me last time, she gave me the same gentle smile she did as she starred at the buds on the trees. _

"_**I don't care what you are. I just wanted to see you. Is that…is that so wrong?**__" _

_Was I dreaming? Was this some awful trick? I heard that the jester does illusions, but this is too good to be true. My thoughts weren't fake. Timpani actually wanted to see me. And, the truth was, although I didn't know it at the time that was the one phrase that changed my entire view of her. And, what I said next was the phrase that would change her entire view of me. _

"_**No. No, of course not.**__" I smiled, "__**I wanted to see you too…**__" I disclosed to her. Well, with thinking about her so often, I knew I was speaking the honest truth. I could see it in her eyes that she spoke the truth to me as well. _

_It seemed like time stood still that evening. I spoke with Timpani about many things, and we grew to know each other a little more. I learned about her life story a tad (she wouldn't go into too many personal details), and I also noticed her true love for nature as we explored the wildlife around us. However, once we got to my story, I hesitated to begin. _

"_**So, what does your home look like?**__" Timpani asked, turning to me with a carefree smile. Oh, how to answer that without scaring her…_

_That would be a challenge. _

"_**It's dark. Every inch of…my home is covered in darkness. We are the Tribe of Darkness after all.**__" I explained. Timpani actually laughed, which was something I did not expect. _

"_**Well, that does make sense.**__" She said, giggling afterward. _

"_**Doesn't that scare you?**__" I asked, finding myself smile at the sight of her laughing. She shook her head._

"_**Not if you're telling me that. Now, if I actually went there, perhaps I would be.**__" She explained honestly. That was a good statement. She hadn't actually _been _there. From the distance, I could see the castle where I came from. I tapped her shoulder, drawing her attention away from a nearby flower and toward my castle. _

"_**That's where I live.**__" I explained. She was in denial at first. _

"_**You live THERE? There's no way! Unless…**__" she turned to me slowly, taking one long look at me. There was silence before she spoke up again. I knew I set in the wrong impression at the wrong time. I hoped that she would not think so much differently of me, yet that was such a false wish. However, the thought passed through that she did not judge me because of race; perhaps she would be benevolent enough to accept me despite our different status. _

"_**I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.**__" I told her, seemingly like an apology more than anything. She gave me that same look she did before when I asked her why she wanted to see me. _

"_**Please, don't worry. I'm just glad I get to know more about you.**__" She told me. My eyes turned away from her as I saw a perfect spot to take a seat. The clean grass was just dried from its morning dew, and it was right before a crystal lake that seemed to mix two shades of violet and sky blue. As I walked away toward the lake, I sat upon the spot I had my eye on. She followed, staring at the spot next to mine. _

"_**Blumiere, do you mind if I sit next to you?**__" she asked so innocently, a bit of pink appearing on the top of her cheeks. Was she embarrassed to ask? I pondered, but I realized I had delayed my answer, allowing her to be nervous. _

"_**Please do, Timpani. Let's return to our conversation. I must know more of you.**__" I told her. It was only fair that if she wanted to know more of me, I felt the same. However, was that the case? _

_Our conversation continued, and I began to hear myself tell more and more of my life. To my surprise, I found that the things I said were not dark and horrible as I assumed my life to be. I found the brighter side to my olden days, and explained my memories with a smile. Along with me, she laughed and spoke of the times from long ago as a child. This wonderful time lasted so long, and as it finally ended, I began to see the pink sunset above the green hills in the distance. Dawn had broke, and it truly did feel like a brand new day. I realized something about myself, and something about her. _

_I understood her words completely know. Timpani was more than I had perceived her. I wondered if I was worthy enough to sit beside her and bask in her healing aura. Although she had been a stranger three days before, it made no difference now. I was happy to be with her. And I could tell she was happy to be with me. _

_With the new dawn, came a new relationship. _

_Yet, at the time, I had no idea of what I was getting myself…and my beloved into. _

**// . c h a o s . //**

_The days that used to be dark and depressing faded away with each evening. Every so often, I would slip away from the window and to the place where I met with Timpani. With each passing day, we grew closer and closer. Like the impatient child I was, I couldn't wait for when the sun went down and I was able to run to the garden where Timpani awaited. _

_I had no idea of why she made me so happy, like the naïve teenager I was. When I finally left to return back to the castle, I found myself missing her kind, gentle smile and her brilliant aura. As I came back to see her on the following evening, I would be overjoyed and knowing that I could not be happier. _

_As confused as I was, I did not question myself. I was happy, and I knew that if I thought it over, that happiness would be gone. _

_Yet, one day, it all began to change. _

_One evening, I was able to sneak out of the castle without too much of a problem. I slipped by the guards and raced to the garden. As I arrived to the tree where she usually waited, I saw that she was not there. Timpani was not beneath the blossoming branch, smiling at the process of a blooming flower. Her aura was absent, and that had upset me. I panicked. _

"_**Timpani? Timpani!**__" I called out her name, searching for her. I raced around the garden, looking everywhere. She was nowhere to be found. There was a void in my chest, and I had never remembered a moment where I had been more frightened. What could have happened to her? Was she safe? What if she didn't come because someone did something to her? I was so lost in my panic that I almost tripped into the lake. Upon the reflection of the violet water, I saw not just my own reflection, but also the reflection of someone who resembled me. The one person I did not want to see. _

"_**Father!**__" I whipped around to face his horrible glare. My father did not speak right away. He just continued to glare and frown. However, I did not shake. I wanted to desperately ask where Timpani was. Yet, he did not know who she was…did he? I was prepared to speak; yet to my fear, he knew exactly what I was going to ask. _

"_**She went back to her village.**__" My father said sharply. "__**You should go back home too.**__" He said, faint traces of anger in his voice. Oh no…he got here first. _

"_**What did you do?**__" I asked, trying to gather courage. _

"_**That is not your concern, and neither is she. It was my loyal jester who told me that you had been sneaking out at night with a smile on your face. I expected it to be romance, yet when I came to see for myself…**__" I could hear his voice building up. I knew what was next. I prepared my body for a beating if necessary. _

"_**Blumiere, you should be ashamed! Sneaking out in the middle of the night to see a girl… a **_**human **_**no less! How dare you let yourself give a bad name to our Tribe!**__" he yelled, forcing me to back up. _

"_**She isn't like them!**__" I defended Timpani. I knew I was in for it, but Timpani was worth defending. She could not be insulted. Not in front of me. _

"_**How **_**dare **_**you defend her! She is a human! A filthy, no-good human! There is no such thing as a human who does not hate us.**__" He stated. That was not true. That was not true at all. Timpani cared. She did more than care. If my father dared to take me away from her, I would fight back. I returned his glare. _

"_**You're wrong! I won't stay away from her because…because…**__" I had to say it. The one reason why I had thought about her so often. Only this statement would either get myself killed by my own father's hand or make him draw away with thought._

"_**I LOVE HER!**__" _

_My father drew away. I felt my heart beating quickly out of fear. My eyes widened. I just said that I _loved _her. Was that true? Those days in the garden and those conversations…they all added up to me falling in love? My father took in a deep breath, his glare softening. _

"_**I understand what I must do now.**__" He said softly, suddenly turning around and walking back to the castle. I caught the most horrible tone in his voice. _

"_**NO! Don't hurt her!**__" I found myself yelling. It was too late. He had already gone. My words would do nothing. He was going to do something terrible to Timpani. I had to find her. I had to find her before she was harmed. I followed him quickly, racing back to the castle. _

_I returned in quick time, yet there was nothing amiss. It seemed that my father had just returned home to retire. The guards questioned me to why I was outside my quarters, but I told them that it was family business. They believed my words without hesitation and allowed me to return to my bedroom. I lay down on the pillow, groaning into the soft material. Deep concern for Timpani flooded my mind. I couldn't just sit here, but I had no choice. I couldn't escape from this room, for I knew guards were armed right outside the window where I commonly escaped from. My father knew I would attempt to escape, so he planned ahead. _

_Days passed. I grew more aggravated with my father as we exchanged glances and words. He knew that I wanted to know where Timpani was, and his glare tortured me each and every day. I wanted to force him to tell me. I wanted to punch him in the face and demand to know what happened to Timpani. I knew he knew where she was. _

_On a dark night, rain began to tap against my window. The cool air blew loudly. It seemed like there was a storm coming, but still, it also seemed to be calming a little. I wasn't sure of the weather, because that was not the most of my worries. I wouldn't stop thinking about her. I _couldn't _stop thinking about her. I opened my eyes to the usual darkness of the room, my eyes soon becoming accustomed to the room's shape and depth. I lifted my body up, staring over toward the window. Then, I saw something. No, I saw someone. _

_Not just someone…the someone I wanted to see. _

_It was so late and rainy that the guards were not on duty. I raced to the window, opening it quickly and leaping out the window. The crash to the ground made her turn in my direction. I got up quickly and rushed toward her. Yet, her look was not similar to mine. Her eyes showed that she was scared. Was she scared at me? Before I could speak, she turned away and began to run away from the grounds of the castle. I couldn't let her run. Not after how much I had worried about her. I ran after her, my longer legs catching up to her. I grabbed her arm, drawing her back toward me. She let out a yell, trying to wiggle free of my grip. _

"_**Timpani, why? Why do you avoid me?**__" my voice was full of desperation. I couldn't stand not being with her. Seeing her run away from me didn't help at all, but her resistance didn't stop at my words. _

"_**Ow… OW! Unhand me!**__" she demanded, turning to face me. At first, I thought her face was covered in the falling rain, but I soon saw that the source of the liquid on her face fell from her crystal blue eyes. She was crying. My heart dropped. _

_My father did do something. _

"_**You're crying! Why? Timpani, you must tell me!**__" I loosened my grip on her arm. I was afraid she would run, as she did look away from me again. She still stood, shaking in the cold temperature of the rain and wind. _

"_**It's nothing…**__" she said simply, her voice weak. "__**Don't worry about it… just forget it…**__" she tried to convince me to let it go. I saw more tears fall from her eyes. Whatever my father did…it must had been horrible. He would pay, I would make sure of it. _

"_**Oh no… Timpani, is my father behind this?**__" I had to know. Timpani looked down to the soggy earth, wiping her eyes. More rain began to sting her skin, as it did to mine. She looked up at me with a weak smile, suddenly moving toward me and taking my hands. _

"_**I'm… I'm just an ordinary girl. No matter how much I love you, we must part.**__" She spoke softly, trying to smile through her saddening statement. _

_No! The last thing I wanted was for her to leave! It didn't matter that we were different, it just didn't! So what if my father didn't want us to be together? So what if our tribes were completely against each other? It didn't matter to me…_

"_**Timpani… I…**__" she knew how I felt about her, as I did for her. It was the first time that I was truly happy. That I had found a place in the world. And now…that happiness was being taken away. Just as I had guessed before. _

"_**This is goodbye, Blumiere. There's no other choice. This is our fate…**__" she whispered, lowering her hand away from her teary eye and placed a tender kiss on my cheek. Sobbing, she slowly moved away from me and away from my castle. As I saw her leave, I had the overwhelming desire to chase her. To tell her that fate had no reason to step between us. If fate had to do with anything, fate was the one who brought us together. _

_A wail of depression emitted from my throat as I fell to my knees. I cried into my already drenched hands, wishing over and over that this was all just a horrible nightmare. She couldn't leave…she just couldn't…_

**// . c h a o s . //**

_I had heard the words of her correctly, yet my mind was made up. She told me it was a goodbye, but I knew that in my heart, I couldn't accept that. I __**had **__to find her. And once I did find her…I know exactly what we would do. _

_We would run away. _

_Run away from the eyes of my judgmental father and tattletale jester. Run away from the pointing fingers of prejudice and hatred, we would go to a place where people will accept our love. A place where we could be truly free. _

_As the night fell, I snuck away. In the darkness of the palace, I was able to escape and get out of the castle grounds for good. I looked back at the castle, knowing that I would probably never return. I walked for many miles down the road to Timpani's village, hoping she would be there. The path that led down toward the village seemed so much longer than it did before. Perhaps it was the mix of despair and hope, if there ever was such an emotion. The rain had created many puddles of damp and thick mud in which smaller plants began to poke their heads out of. They were mostly weeds and grass, but I saw the occasional flower. The sun of the human world began to shine as I crossed the line into their territory. I knew it would be difficult to search for her, but if I had to, I'd spend my whole life doing it. _

"_**Hey, you!**__" the deep voice of an older woman caught my attention. "__**You're not welcome in this village, kid. Now go back to where you came from.**__" Her harsh voice matched the one of my father's, but her appearance triggered something in my memory. Her hair and her attire resembled those of Timpani…perhaps she knew where she was! I ignored her first statement, suddenly becoming optimistic. _

"_**Do you know of a young lady named Timpani?**__" I asked, my face lighting up with hope. She backed away as I stepped toward her, arching her left eyebrow. _

"_**Yes, I do. But she doesn't want to see anyone, especially anybody from the Tribe of Darkness.**__" She told me, giving me that strange look as if I was an alien. Well, humans really aren't used to us. I only expected as such. _

"_**Do you know where she is?**__" I asked. I wouldn't give up. _

"_**I told you, she doesn't want to see anyone. How do you know about Timpani anyway? What's yer name?**__" she asked, suddenly advancing toward me. _

"_**B-Blumiere.**__" I said my name quickly, hoping that she would catch it. She did. _

"_**So you're Blumiere.**__" She said with a stern voice. That voice made me nervous. She had heard about me? So she must know Timpani! Perhaps she was related to her. They did look alike. "__**Timpani has told me a little about you. I don't get that girl at all. She tries to defend you way too often. It's unhealthy for a girl to be in love that young.**__" She looked up at me, her arching eyebrow lowering to become a glare. "__**And it's also unhealthy to be in love with a person like **__**you**__" She stated. As I expected her to look at me like a monster, I wasn't surprised at her reaction for my feelings for Timpani. Without another word, I walked into the village. I expected her to stop me, but she did no more than simply stand there and stare. _

_I quickly made my way to the house where Timpani brought me back to health, seeing that smoke was trailing up from the chimney. Someone was there. Hopefully, it was Timpani. I went straight for the door, placing my indigo hand on the doorknob when I was suddenly stopped to the sound that I missed so dearly. _

"_**Blumiere?!**__" her shocked voice was like music to my ears. I turned around to face her, knowing that if the smile on my face got any bigger, it would fall off. I'm sure she was scared out of her mind to see me, but it was just something that had to be done. I can't live without Timpani. I just can't. _

"_**Timpani…**__" I spoke, but I was soon interrupted. _

"_**Timpani! Why is he back? I thought we told you to get rid of that demon!**__" the voice of another older woman sounded behind Timpani. It was not the woman I saw before, but she had similar characteristics. Her hair was a silver shade, and her attire was completely gray and white. _

"_**Auntie, please…**__" Timpani tried to reason with the woman, stepping in front of my body to defend me. _

"_**Get out of here!**__" the woman yelled at me. "__**Get out! Go back to where you came from! Leave our village alone!**__" she screamed. The woman advanced toward me, seemingly ready to beat me out of the village by force. _

"_**Auntie! Stop it!**__" Timpani yelled. "__**Stop…don't hurt him…**__" she muttered, trying to calm her aunt down. I was in total shock. I could not speak or defend her. Timpani was such a brave girl to try and make a stand like that. _

"_**Honestly…you and that boy do not belong together. It's against nature! It's against fate and…I just don't know what to do with you, Timpani.**__" The aunt calmed herself, rubbing her temples slowly. "__**We raised you to be kind-hearted, but this…this is too far!**__" she complained, seemingly harmed that Timpani was defending me instead of her own family. Timpani shook her head to disagree. _

"_**I was taught not to listen to everything people say. If we don't judge other humans, then we can't judge other people as well. Just because Blumiere isn't human does not mean that he is truly different. I…I love him, Auntie. I'm sorry, but, if he hadn't come to find me, I would have gone back to find him.**__" Timpani admitted. _

_She was just too good to be true. Her words always touched me, and it seemed to affect her aunt as well. She looked down at the ground, seemingly worried. In mere moments, she looked back up at her niece with a serious stare. _

"_**Go. Go pack up your things, Timpani.**__" Her aunt stated. Timpani's eyes widened, as did mine. What did this mean? Was she being kicked onto the road? She didn't deserve to be homeless just because she stood up for me! _

"_**W-what?**__" Timpani asked, her voice shaking. _

"_**I understand that you want to be with him, although I don't understand why. Timpani…go with him. And you.**__" Her aunt turned to me, "__**Take care of her. If you do ANYTHING to her, then I will hunt you down and I swear that I will…**__" _

"_**Auntie. That's enough.**__" Timpani said sternly. Her anger disappeared in a second, and she turned to me with a look of sadness. It was my fault she was being kicked out of her house. I deserved this more than she did. Of course, if it had happened to me, I would have been happy. I have no right to be taking her away from the family she loves. As I looked down at the ground, I saw that my hand was being held by hers; the warm touch of my beloved Timpani. _

"_**Thank you, auntie. Will you tell my mother as well?**__" Timpani questioned, hesitating to ask the second question. Her aunt nodded. _

"_**Just get out of here and she won't stop you.**__" Her aunt said simply, looking away from us. Timpani's grip on my hand tightened. Why couldn't I speak for her? Why couldn't I say anything? Perhaps later, when we were alone, I could speak to her again. With those last words, her aunt allowed us to exit the village. Timpani didn't bother to pack anything, or so it seemed. As she took one last look at her village, she broke into tears. _

"_**Timpani, I'm so sorry…you didn't have to defend me like that.**__" I was finally able to speak up and apologize. As much as I loved her voice, the sound of her crying was something so depressing. She wiped her eyes, looking up at me without a word. She threw her arms around my body and began to cry into my chest. Her wails would not stop, but I had to be there for her. I returned her hug, comforting her silently. _

"_**It will be all right, Timpani…**__" I whispered to her, trying to comfort her. It was true. It was only the two of us from now on. "__**We will find happiness together, I know it.**__" I spoke suddenly, making her peak out of my arms and directly into my eyes. _

"_**What… what are you thinking? There's no possible way… No one would allow it!**__" she spoke with such pessimism and despair. I thought she was the person who would think that nothing was impossible, but then again, she was very saddened by the loss of her family. I placed my hand on her pale cheek, wiping away a tear for her. A weak smile appeared on her lips as I tried to convince her. _

"_**If we can't be happy here, we must leave for a place that will accept our love.**__" I told her. Her smile disappeared, and her grip tightened on my arms as she dove into her state of denial. _

"_**But, Blumiere, is there such a place? Think… I can't bear to see you hurt again.**__" She told me, her eyes beginning to tear up once more. She remembered how hurt I was to see her say goodbye to me on that night. I could see how deep the wound was in her heart that it made to see me so sad. I shared her sadness, and I wanted to share the happiness too. I would make sure of it. _

"_**If our love has no home, let us spend our lives searching together!**__" I exclaimed. It would be my life's journey. I wanted to make sure that Timpani lived out the rest of her life in happiness. That was all I wanted. For her to be happy…and for us to be together. A true smile extended across her lips as she leaned back onto my chest. _

"_**Blumiere, I love you. Take me away.**__" She spoke softly and clearly. I saw that she let go of her sadness and looked toward the future. The future of us….together. She lifted her head up and moved toward my lips. We fell into a kiss that I would never forget. _

"_**Take me to a world where we can be happy.**__"_

**// . c h a o s . //**

_The sadness and despair was something of the past. Timpani's sadness had healed as she accepted the fact that her family only let her leave because they wanted her to be happy. Or, that was how she explained it to me. _

_The night was cool and clean, and even the fireflies came out on this evening to illuminate the garden that we spent time in. We had returned to the garden one last time before beginning our journey to find the place that would accept our love. It was the perfect night. The stars were lined up perfectly in the sky, smiling down on us with life and light. Sitting underneath the tree and near the lake, we watched the stars glitter through the night without words. I turned to Timpani by my side, who was leaning upon my shoulder. I wondered if she was asleep already. I couldn't blame her if she was. She had been through so much. But no, I could see the reflection of stars of her open, blue eyes. I smiled as she lifted her head up to look at me. _

"_**Timpani, look. The stars are beautiful, aren't they?**__" I asked her, wondering if she was looking at them too. She nodded, her smile widening. _

"_**There's a tradition in my village. We believe that the wishes on stars come true.**__" She explained. I chuckled. _

"_**Is that so? In that case, we'd better get wishing, don't you think?**__" I said, smiling. What to wish for, though? I was about to think about it when I heard Timpani giggle. I wondered why she was laughing at me. I hoped that I did not sound foolish. _

"_**I don't need to wish anymore.**__" She explained, leaning against my shoulder once again. I felt my heartbeat pick up. What did she mean by that? _

"_**Mmm?**__" I asked, looking at her with confusion. _

"_**I already got my wish. Now, I have everything I need right here.**__" She said, looking up at me from her spot. _

_I could not have been any happier. Timpani was everything to me. She was the hope that lit up my world of darkness that my father cast down upon me. She gave me optimism in believing that tomorrow would be the best day yet. We exchanged kind smiles before sinking into another kiss, the warmth of her lips soothing me as the chilly night wind blew across the garden's landscape. _

_Once the kiss broke off, I felt the wind brush against my skin. I looked to Timpani, worried that she might be cold too. _

"_**Timpani, aren't you cold?**__" I asked her curiously. She shook her head slowly. _

"_**Not at all. I'm very warm.**__" She told me. I could see through her lie, however. I could see her shaking in the cold, trying to keep herself warm by leaning against me. Yet, she did not want to budge. She didn't want to leave. And, although I worried about her, I didn't want this night to end. It was far too perfect. _

"_**Can we stay like this? Just a little longer?**__" Timpani asked me, wrapping her arm around mine and starring up to the starry heavens. I nodded in approval. _

_Slowly, without notice, the two of us drifted into sleep. We fell asleep beneath the tree, dreaming sweetly of what would happen in the future. _

_Yet, when dawn broke, something horrible had happened. _

_As the pink light peaked over the hilltops, my eyes fluttered open. The morning was refreshing, cool, while the grass beneath us was damp. It was from the morning dew, which I was not expecting as I woke up. _

_However, there was something missing. _

_It was far too chilly. I felt like I had way too much space. Suddenly, I realized what had been missing. Timpani was gone. _

"_**Timpani?**__" I asked, looking around. I wondered if she had gone back home to her village, but I soon remembered that she couldn't go back. If she couldn't go back home, then where could she have gone? I started to panic, receiving no answer from my asked question. _

"_**TIMPANI!**__" I yelled out her name, standing up and running through the garden to try and find her. She was nowhere in sight. I raced through the damp grass and budding trees, soon finding myself back where I started from. However, someone else was standing there. I knew he had something to do with it. I know it. _

"_**What did you do with her? I must see her!**__" I yelled at my father. Why he kept interfering was something I never could quite understand. Parents often tell you they do things to protect you, yet they also tell you that they want you to be happy. What is the true statement? He did not seem to be angry, yet he had a goal in mind. _

"_**Still your tongue, Blumiere. Can't you see you've been duped by a dirty human?**__" he asked me. My eyes widened. He _did _know what happened to her. I wasn't going to hold back if he stepped further over the line. Oh, but he wasn't done. _

"_**You have brought shame to my name…and the entire Tribe of Darkness!**__" he yelled. There was the anger if I ever saw it. He was claiming my love for Timpani to be bad! I knew it was not bad! _

"_**And so what if I did? That doesn't matter to me! She's my entire world!**__" I argued. This man was not my father. Even if we shared the genetics, he did not carry one inch of compassion for Timpani or me. If he had actually spoken with Timpani, he would understand. Anyone could love her. My father took in a breath, sighing deeply. _

"_**Well, then it will interest you to know that she no longer resides in this world.**__" He told me. _

_My heart dropped. What…what did that mean?!_

"_**What…what do you mean by that?!**__" I demanded to know. My father's glare returned, sharply stabbing me in the heart. _

"_**This is the price those who resist their own fate must pay, my son.**__" He told me. _

_No. I could not accept this. Timpani could NOT be gone. This was nothing like what happened before. If what my father said was true, then she couldn't come back. She could never come back to my arms and warm embrace. I could never feel her soothing aura or hear her beautiful voice. _

_We could never find a place where we could be happy. _

"_**She…no…it can't be so!**__" I yelled. I was in disbelief. My father's glare softened as he approached me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he attempted to comfort me. _

"_**Someday, you will see, my son. Our kind and humans must never mix.**__" He told me. I shook out of his grip, giving him a glare of my own. He took away the only thing that made me happy. All because of this stupid prejudice. I hated it. I HATED it. How could one be so intolerant? I ran away from that man, realizing that I was going back to the one place where I could never escape from again. _

_I was back in front of the gates of my castle. Yes, it was truly my prison. I could not get away from the despair I was fated to be with. _

"_**Timpani…**__" I muttered her name, feeling warm tears fall from my eyes. She couldn't be gone. I did not want to accept that. Never…never…_

**// . c h a o s . //**

_I wanted to see her. I wanted to hear her. I was lost. _

_Without her, nothing made sense. My life seemed meaningless, yet I could not just end it. Everything was empty. Nothing held meaning or joy. It was dull and loveless. To make it all worse, my father was getting amusement out of my despair. Or, at least the jester was. I wept every night, remembering the days where I was happy when the night came and I would be able to see her beloved face. For nights and nights, I began to lose sleep over the matter. One desire burned in my mind. _

_I wanted to make my father pay. _

_He took her away. He drew her away from me at the right time too, which didn't help at all. He took away MY HAPPINESS. He took away HER HAPPINESS. It was horrible. Yet, no matter what, I always returned to my despair. No matter how angry I was at my father, I knew that anything I did to my father would not bring her back. My soggy pillowcase was no longer soft as it was. My tears had made it dry and hard to sleep on. _

_I just could not sleep. Instead, without hesitation, I walked out of my room. No guards were on duty, for they had no reason to be there. I didn't know where I was going in this endless castle. There was no one around, and all of the doors were open for my exploration. I needed to take my mind of this, but it was far too difficult. _

_Suddenly, I found myself in front of a large door. A pair of double doors with large, purple runes carved on the outside. I had never seen this door before, which made me wonder what lied behind it. No one was there to stop me. I pushed the door open to find a completely black room, only to be sketched with small white lines. A podium outlined with those same white lines held something that caught my eye. _

_It was a book glowing with a violet aura. It was closed shut, floating in midair. I stepped into the room, advancing toward the book. It seemed to be brimming with an unspeakable power. Yes, I had heard of that book before. _

_The Dark Prognosticus. My mother warned me never to open it, although it promises that it will tell a beautiful future. It held great power, but she told me that no one had been able to control its abilities. My mother explained that they did not have enough will to fill out the prophecy within the book. Well, they were weak-willed. I was not. I stepped before the book, wrapping my fingers around it. The aura around it began to dim as I turned the book's cover to face me. I could feel its strong power flowing through my hands. Yes, this was how I could find Timpani. I could use this book's power to find her…and then we could be together again. _

"_**Blumiere, my son, don't!**__" my father had caught me just in time. I was ready to open the book just before he stepped in. I felt myself smirk. This was going to be perfect. His face carried the rare emotion of fear. "__**Even your ancestors could not handle that dark book!**__" he exclaimed. I didn't listen. There was no reason for me to. _

"_**If you open it…there's no telling what might happen!**__" he continued to warn me. My smirk faded, replaced with a glare. He didn't understand. No one understood. It was time to show him how grave his mistake was. _

"_**I do not care, Father! A world without her is empty! A LIFE without her is empty!**__" I yelled, opening the Dark Prognosticus to its first few pages. _

_At that, I truly lost my mind. As soon as the Dark Prognosticus was open, the power of darkness flowed out at an amazing rate. I saw new abilities, new powers, everything I ever wanted…all of those opportunities were shown before me. All I had to do was merely accept this book as my own. _

"_**Speak, Dark Prognosticus! Teach your dark history! I await your command!**__" I yelled into the air, raising the Dark Prognosticus above my head. My father was horrified at the sight he was seeing. I felt new desires enter my mind. There were things that I did not realize before that I had only realized now. It wasn't just my father who took Timpani away; it was everyone who lived as a member of my tribe. They created the barriers of intolerance! Yes…this world must perish…_

"_**BLEH HEH HEH! BLECK!**__" a twisted and cold voice emitted from my throat. It was not my own, and yet I was not frightened. I liked this feeling of superiority. I loved the look of my father on his knees and begging me to stop. _

"_**Blumiere, what have you done?**__" he asked me quietly, his strength at a low point. He couldn't stop me now. It was far too late. I cast out my hand, opening my palm to face away from my body. In a mere second, my hand was no longer empty. It had contained a new weapon generated by the Dark Prognosticus; a rod. A rod with a blue diamond. I could feel the ultimate power…nothing could stop me. Especially my horrible father. _

"_**Silence! The first prophecy beckons! I will erase every inch of this blasted world!**__" I exclaimed. Yes, everyone in this world must pay! They took Timpani away from me! From the tip of my rod, a small abyss began to generate. It seemed to slowly suck away small bits and pieces of the room…slowly taking away the world that I wanted to be rid of. _

"_**Blu-Blumiere! Don't do this! BLUMIERE!**__" I saw regret in his eyes. He was begging me for forgiveness. He was not going to get it. He had done far too much. I was lost in despair. No…Blumiere was lost in despair. I was no longer Blumiere. That man had been lost in the depths of my mind. Lost at my insanity…and lost as Timpani was. _

"_**Blumiere is no more! I am Count Bleck! And no one shall stand in my way!**__" I yelled. The abyss that my rod had created had grown to a larger size within the first few seconds, eating away everything in this world. The Dark Prognosticus allowed me to disappear from the world that had brought me such pain and misery. The last thing I saw was the face of my crying father, uttering words I could not understand. My laugh echoed through the room as everything slowly came to an end. _

_My home world was no more. Everything was gone. _

_Gone…just like Timpani…_

**Next time…**

_Blumiere is Count Bleck! His mission? To get the Chaos Heart and use its power to destroy everything that took Timpani away from him! Or, so he says. Yet, who is that strange girl in his class that resembles his long lost love? She even has the same name! What could this mean…? _

**Coming soon!**

**Episode One: Count Bleck's Reign! The Quest to Destroy Everything**


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